Bom moved her lips as if she had lost her voice. She had vaguely imagined that she might run into him someday, but never like this—and certainly not in such an unexpected place.
Was it the passage of time that made her feel both flustered and secretly glad?
Yet the moment she saw him, the long years between them surged forward, making her heart pound wildly. Bom couldn’t understand herself. She had thought it was just a passing young love. She had assumed that enough time had passed for her to be okay even if they met again.
“Han Bom.”
But the moment her name flowed from Jung-hoo’s lips—
She faltered without resistance.
“How are you… here, sunbae…?”
Her voice trembled faintly as it escaped her lips. Like someone who had just rediscovered speech, there were so many things caught in her throat. But a sudden doubt struck—was she even allowed to ask how he was doing? His gaze, fixed steadily on her, curved gently.
“Are you asking how I’m here? Or—”
Jung-hoo closed the distance between them with confident strides.
“Are you asking how we could meet here of all places?”
His voice, low and calm, sank deeply into her ears.
“Or is it… both?”
It felt strangely familiar, like they had only parted ways a few days ago. Suddenly, her head cooled, and a bittersweet feeling welled up. It seemed she was the only one affected by the situation.
Well…
It had been quite a while. Long enough for him to look at her like this and feel nothing.
It was she who had drawn the line first, saying she didn’t want things to become awkward between them. And he had merely helped a junior from college who happened to be in trouble. Thinking of it that way, the tangle in her mind eased slightly. Though her heart grew heavier.
“I didn’t expect to run into you like this, sunbae.”
With a composed face, Bom met Jung-hoo’s eyes directly. He looked different from the boy she remembered.
Gone was the pretty-faced student. Standing before her now was a refined man in a suit. The college kid in a t-shirt and chinos had become a polished adult. His striking features had only deepened with age, radiating a more mature aura. As the streets darkened, so too did the depth in Jung-hoo’s gaze as it rested on her.
Whooosh—
Suddenly, as if on cue, rain started pouring down in sheets. People on the street scurried for shelter.
The drizzle had turned into a downpour in seconds, and she had no umbrella. She stood there, unsure of what to do, helplessly shifting her weight—
Then a coat came down over her head. The familiar yet unfamiliar scent of a man reached her just as Jung-hoo pressed closely beside her. Only then did she realize—he was shielding her from the rain with his coat.
“Your coat…”
“Better to ruin clothes than catch a cold.”
As if he knew exactly what she was going to say, he replied lightly. Even after only a moment in the rain, droplets dripped from his fringe. A strange, inappropriate emotion stirred in her chest.
“Run.”
“…What?”
Still dazed, Bom didn’t immediately understand him. But Jung-hoo took her hand, his grip firm and hot. She could do nothing but follow his lead.
As puddles splashed and her steps faltered on the slippery pavement, she instinctively tightened her hold on his hand. Regaining her balance, she nodded to him, signaling she was okay.
Just as the rain grew heavier and blurred their vision—
Jung-hoo stopped.
“Haa… haa…”
Finally pausing, Bom exhaled a breath that had built all the way up to her throat. Her heart pounded like it might explode. Then came a worried voice.
“You okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Just… haven’t run in a while…”
She gave a faint smile to show she was alright. Jung-hoo smiled back, his expression unreadable. Before she could guess the meaning behind it, he raised his hand—and with it, hers followed.
“Then… would you mind letting go of my hand now?”
Bom’s face instantly flushed. She hadn’t even realized she was still holding on.
“S-sorry.”
She hurriedly pulled her hand away and bit her lower lip. Jung-hoo’s lips curled faintly as he looked at her flustered face. And suddenly, the memories of the Seo Jung-hoo from long ago came rushing in.
All those moments she tried to forget—because she couldn’t.
“Wanna come up?”
“…What?”
Bom blinked, startled by the abrupt question.
“This is the hotel I’m staying at. You’re soaked. Just come warm up for a bit.”
He added the explanation while looking at her, visibly shivering.
“It’s not going to stop anytime soon.”
She’d meant to say she was fine and decline, but then his voice continued, catching her off guard. He was gazing out at the torrential rain through the lobby windows, barely visible now through the storm. Bom followed his gaze.
Suddenly, she recalled her team leader Kim casually mentioning a rain forecast. She’d brushed it off—and now, it was too late.
Just as Jung-hoo said, this wasn’t the kind of rain that would stop soon. It wasn’t a passing shower. It was a full-blown storm.
“A couple months ago, rains like this led to a bunch of people going missing or getting injured. Might be best to wait it out a bit.”
His tone, somehow local-sounding, struck her. She remembered overhearing once that he worked at an overseas branch office now—and that he didn’t plan to return to Korea anytime soon.
That’s why she had believed she’d never see him again. The heartache she’d buried deep had laughed at her—bringing him to her like this.
The sharp slant of his eyes lifted slightly. Bom looked up too, toward the storm-darkened sky. Letting out a small sigh, she finally opened her mouth.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
Everything that had happened so far felt like a prank from the gods.
Beep.
Jung-ho entered the hotel room first and opened the door wide.
“Come in.”
The warmth of the room wrapped around her as she stepped inside with an awkward expression. He laid slippers at her feet. Bom offered a slight smile of gratitude and slipped out of her heels.
“Feels gross being wet like this.”
He loosened his stifling necktie and looked at her.
“I think I’ll take a shower. What about you?”
“Ah, I’m fine.”
Bom flailed her hands like she’d heard something scandalous. A clear refusal. Jung-ho could see right through her panic.
“Just… a towel will do. I don’t even have a change of clothes.”
She added the excuse and swallowed hard. It was just shelter from the rain—but it was an enclosed space. Her throat suddenly felt dry.
“If you change your mind, the guest bathroom’s over there. You can wear some of my clothes while your stuff gets cleaned.”
“Really, I’m okay…”
“You’ll catch a cold if you stay in wet clothes.”
Watching her hesitate, he disappeared into the room and returned with a T-shirt and pants.
“Towels should be in the bathroom.”
He pointed to the door on the left and turned back toward the bedroom. After watching him disappear, Bom moved toward the bathroom. The chill in her body from the rain was getting to her.
She took off her wet clothes and left them outside the bathroom door, then turned on the shower. Warm water poured over her rain-chilled body, and she felt a sudden heaviness settle in.
Ah… it’s warm.
She had managed a nap after finishing her client meeting and returning to the hotel—but it clearly hadn’t been enough. Exhaustion flooded her like a tide. Bom forced herself to stay alert.
She had thought they might meet again, just once.
But she hadn’t expected a cascade of unpredictable events. She had only imagined a chance encounter on the street, maybe a friendly greeting.
Because that was all their relationship had ever been.
And she couldn’t—shouldn’t—hope for more.
And yet, she’d recognized him instantly—how silly her earlier worries now seemed.
Pushing away the rising thoughts, she quickly finished her shower and changed into the clothes he had given her. Drying her hair with a towel, she stepped out of the bathroom to find Jung-ho sitting comfortably on the living room sofa.
Outside the large window, the rain was still pouring. It looked even heavier than before.
Only then did Bom remember—she had come to New York for work. And she was supposed to return to Korea tomorrow.
“What kind of rain comes down this hard…?”
Her voice trailed off, eyebrows knitting downward. Jung-ho, who had been looking out the window, turned his gaze to her.
“Told you—it wasn’t the kind of rain that’d stop easily.”
His calm voice gave the strange impression that he had predicted all of this.
